River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-09-29
The Jersey.

my cows. ! selected pure WHITE ma
tive cow with large teats and udder,
aud who gave large flow of milk
rather above the average for richness
and bred her to a thoroughbred Jersey
and got fine large heifer from her
with strong Jersey characteristics,
but she proved to be much inferior to
her mother, and fattened her after
raising one calf from her. This calf
was sired by thoroughbred Jersey
and proved a very excellent cow, CIV
ing large yield of milk of excellent
quality, making in the test glass under
favorable circumstances about 20 per
cent. of cream. L raised from her two
heifer calves-full sisters-sired by
a thoroughbred Jersey, both OF which
l am now milking, and they are with
out exception the best cows | ever
owned; and have raised from each
of them heifer calf the Oldest of
which is due in August with her first
calf, and was 2 years old in March
last. My stock now on hand is two
rs and two 1915 Jerseys, and from
the experience of several years | be-
lieve that | should lose money if |
to-day exchanged these four for eight
average native cows. / am glad to
be able to make this statement, because
Twas strongly prejudiced against the
Jerseys at the start, and at one time
came very near quitting them. There
are several points in their favor which
lead me to place high value on them.
They seem to be uniformly good.
During the time ! had raised the four
referred to my neighbor 1.-The Squire"
raised from thirty to fOrty-mostly
high grades-and l do not know of
one that has made an inferior COW,
while several have made fine records
running from so TO go pounds of but
ter in a month, and one going consid-
erably above this. | do not recall the
amount, but do know the lamentable
fact that she died of milk fever after
her second test. Another thing which
l like in the Jerseys is their docility.
Without exception they are gentle,
halter break without any trouble, and
are easy to milk. ] have been happily
disappointed in the quantity of milk
given by the little Jerseys. My cows
have averaged over three and half
gallons of strained milk each per day
Cor the past two months, and have
reached four gallons each occasionally
and this on grass alone.
| have found these cows profitable 10
sell as we'll as to keep, and since The
second cross l have not raised COW
that would not bring from so to 100
per cent. above the average price of
common COWS,
| think that the best way for the
small farmers to get Jersey stock is to
grade up as have done. My stock
now is distinctively jersey in appear
ance, and so far as looks goes would
pass for thorOughbreds, and for dairy
purposes believe is just as valuable,
and all it cost me above what common
stock would is an extra dollar each for
the service of the sire.
/ think it ordinarily foolish for a
farmer to pay high prices for blooded
stock, unless he has the necessary
knowledge and business capacity to
become breeder of thoroughbred
stock, which only the few have; but l
do think il wise for him to secure the
service of thoroughbred males if pos
sible, and adhere TO some particular
line of stock, and not cross with a half
dozen different breeds until his stock
has no distinctive characteristics. |
think this especially important for the
young farmer to learn and practice. 1t
is Just as easy to raise cows that will
sell at from $50 to SIS each and colts
worth Sl75 to $3.50, as to grow the
common scrub stock which will bring
about halt the money, but to do this
you must make a good selection of
your breeding stock at the start and
follow up the particular line of stock
you may select. Too many farmers
are always on the look for something
new. They will breed to a Holstein
this year, Jersey next. and then a
Shorthorn, and finally keep grade bull
of their own raising, with mixture
of the blood of all three in him.
First determine what strain or breed
of stock is best suited 10 your sur
roundings. and then adhere to it and
improve it as much as possible. One
mistake which is made by many breed
eTs Of Jerseys is to allow them To breed
too young. and think this has done
much to reduce their size. They are
very precocious and will usually if
allowed to run with the bull come in
fresh at II TO Is months old, and often
younger; but having tried both plans,
| recommend that they be kept from
the bull till from IL to Is months old,
varying a little to suit the individual
animal | do not like ordinarily to
have heifer drop the first calf in hot
weather and on pasture. as there is
more danger of caked bag and trouble
than at any other season of the year;
and so | breed spring calves to come in
in March or April when about two
years old, aud ] would sooner nreed to
come in at that season IL only u or y
months old than to have them come
in June, July or August, and Oeca-
sionally a small Jersey would better
not be bred until it has had two sea
Sons on grass; bat as a rule / would
try to have them drop their first calf
at about two years old. The tao cows
| am milking illustrate this. One OF
them dropped her first bali at seven
teen months old, the other not till